First Forays in Food

Admittedly, I've been a bit of a tourist when it comes to food in Florence (or should I say Firenze) thus far. I've knowingly made the faux pas of eating at a place or two with a menu in both English and Italian. However, everyone should be allowed their tourist moments (especially upon first arriving in a place and getting used to a new culture).

My first night here I ate at one of the many restaurants/pizzeria's that fall along the perimeter of the Piazza della Signoria. I sat at one of the outdoor tables at Ristorante Orcagna and looked out at the piazza. To my right stood the Loggia dei Lanzi, which is a structure made up of arches and containing a statue garden. Also in my view was the Palazzo Vecchio, which is one of Florence's most visually recognizable buildings.

A shot of Ristorante Orcagna's outdoor seating by night. Note that you can always enlarge the pictures I post by clicking on them. 

While Florence shines in the daylight sun, it also sparkles at night. Most buildings on the Piazza are lit beautifully. Looking out into the evening crowd, you'd notice little blue light-up flying things being shot into the air. There are a bunch of men who try to sell them to passerby and parents of children. They work with a kind of slingshot mechanism, and while they may possibly be part of a pick-pocketing scheme, sitting at my table it was very pleasant to look at the little blue lights flying higher than the buildings in the piazza at times and slowly drifting back to earth.

My waiter at Ristorante Orcagna was a very nice Italian gentleman named Salvatore. Over the course of the night he made a point to make jokes, ask questions, and even told me a bit about himself. He lives in Florence and has two children. His picture is also on the label of the ristorante's house wine.

It's hard to see here, but on the left side of the bottle Salvatore is pictured waiting on a table. It seems that my transition from Paris to Florence has also transitioned me from Beaujolais to Chianti. 

Speaking of food, dinner consisted of Chianti Rufina to drink, bruschetta as a first course, chicken parm, and tiramisu. I'm starting to get used to the whole olive oil with bread instead of butter with bread thing too. One thing that's still frustrating is attempting to order tap water. While it worked here, at other restaurants I have been to thus far they have provided a bottle of water that you pay for even after having asked for normal tap water. Note to self: must learn how to ask for this in Italian to see if it works better.

This tiramisu was simply divine. Perhaps the best I've ever had. The rum-soaked lady fingers were rich and provided a fantastic texture to the rest of the light dish. 

Regardless, dinner was a lovely two hour affair that was followed by two scoops of gelato from across the square (double dessert was just necessary on the first day). And personally, I found it to be a deliciously sweet way to end the night.